The brackets have been revealed. Each area has its issues to observe, however the 2025 NCAA Match’s West Regional, specifically, is loaded with expertise and large names.
The West Regional has all of the makings of being probably the most aggressive among the many 4 teams. Particularly, the trail for its No. 1 seed is more durable than any of the opposite prime groups. There’s a surplus of notes to be conscious of when filling out your West Regional bracket, so let’s check out the 5 most essential issues to pay attention to and to contemplate on the subject of that decrease left quadrant.
1. Is Florida Faculty Basketball’s Greatest Workforce Proper Now?
The SEC is sending a report quantity of groups to the Massive Dance, as 14 of its 16 members are nonetheless enjoying. Whereas Auburn is the general No. 1 seed, the SEC’s finest shot at profitable all of it could belong to its different No. 1 in Florida. The West Regional is loaded with skilled coaches and groups, which makes the trail for the Gators harder to traverse than Duke’s within the East.
That being stated, no group is hotter in school basketball proper now than Florida. Not solely did the Gators simply win the SEC Convention event towards the Midwest’s No. 2, Tennessee, however they did so in convincing style. First, it was a 14-point win over Missouri adopted by a 22-point blowout towards Alabama. Florida then knocked off the Vols by 9 factors. They’re additionally on a 15-2 run since mid-January, with 11 of these wins over groups within the event.
Florida and St. John’s headline the West Area 🚨 pic.twitter.com/XX2904ZSKa
— SLAM College (@slam_university) March 16, 2025
The aim of this whole event, after all, is to show which group is the most effective within the nation. Proper now, Florida seems to be a preferred choose to make it to the Ultimate 4 and to be one of many final groups standing. If it might escape the tightly contested West, will probably be as battle-tested (and pink sizzling) as any of the remaining three faculties.
2. Corridor of Fame Coaches Aplenty
How usually do you get to see a regional by which the likes of John Calipari, Invoice Self, and Rick Pitino are all competing for a similar few spots? This can be a made-for-TV bracket as irrespective of the way it shakes out, Calipari’s No. 10 Arkansas will likely be seeking to upset Self’s No. 7 Kansas. The winner will then — almost definitely — get No. 2 St. John’s and Pitino assuming the Johnnies care for enterprise towards No. 15 Omaha. Pitino has probably the most wins all-time by an energetic coach (884) with Calipari behind him at 875. Self (831) isn’t far behind, both.
The decrease half of the West is brimming with Corridor of Fame teaching expertise, which ought to make for some entertaining basketball. There are additionally some recognizable coaches scattered by means of the highest half of the grouping, together with No. 5 Memphis’ Penny Hardaway, who has executed an incredible job in bringing that program again to relevancy. Oh, and to not be misplaced within the shuffle of all the names, the reigning back-to-back champion is on this group in UCONN’s Dan Hurley. Speak about a who’s who of modern-day school basketball coaches. 4 coaches on this regional have received a nationwide championship and none of them belong to No. 1 in Florida’s Todd Golden, who’s aiming to carry residence his first.
3. Drake Is likely to be the Greatest Mid-Main
In relation to March, everybody desires to know which mid-major may be this 12 months’s 2006 George Mason or 2011’s VCU. This 12 months, it seems there are two prime candidates, and considered one of them is located within the West Regional. No. 11 Drake is considered one of solely six groups within the nation who’ve received 30 or extra video games this season. 4 of these groups are both No. 1 or 2 seeds, and the opposite occurs to be the opposite mid-major who might play the position of Cinderella within the College of California, San Diego.
When trying on the metrics, the Bulldogs are 2-0 in Quad 1 video games and 4-0 in Quad 2 contests. Additionally they have opponents capturing 31 % from 3-point vary, which isn’t far off from among the prime defenses within the nation like Michigan State and Tennessee, who restrict the opposition to 27 share from deep. Come tourney time, video games may be received or misplaced from lengthy vary, so Drake’s potential to defend the three will likely be crucial if it desires to go on a run.
Drake has a Spherical of 64 date with No. 6 Missouri, so its path received’t be straightforward getting a powerful SEC faculty proper out of the gate. Drake has a Prime 50 Defensive Score on KenPom, which will likely be put to the take a look at towards a Tigers group that has the fifth-best Offensive Score at KenPom. If Drake can get Missouri to play at its slower velocity, a distinction to Mizzou’s high-speed tempo, the 11-over-6 upset can definitely occur. Drake’s defensive potential, blended with some stellar capturing on the again of Bennett Stirtz, makes them a preferred group to shock a number of groups en path to a Candy 16 bid.
4. Colorado State’s Nique Clifford will likely be Enjoyable to Watch
If you happen to aren’t aware of Clifford’s sport, you’ll be in for a deal with come No. 12 Colorado State’s Spherical of 64 sport with No. 5 Memphis. A reputation that NBA scouts have turn out to be aware of, Clifford has put up 19.0 factors and 9.7 rebounds per sport as a senior. Many mock drafts have Clifford as a 2025 first-round choose.
Throughout his group’s present 10-game profitable streak headed into the Massive Dance, which additionally contains the Mountain West Match title, Clifford has established himself as one of many nation’s finest gamers. He has 24 or extra factors in every of the final 4 contests. Over Colorado State’s 10-0 run, he’s averaging a tick above 22 factors per sport with 4 double-doubles in that stretch. If Colorado State goes to go on a run, will probably be as a result of Clifford is getting it executed.
5. The ‘Crab 5’ are Actually, Actually Good
No. 4 Maryland has a tough draw together with the remainder of the West Regional being how aggressive all of those groups seem on paper. That being stated, there is probably not one other group that may level to having a beginning 5 as sturdy because the Terrapins. A fan gave the group’s beginning 5 the ‘Crab 5’ moniker this season, which speaks to how influential the group has turn out to be. There was a sport this 12 months by which all 83 of Maryland’s factors in its win over Nebraska have been scored by its staring unit.
No beginning 5 has extra video games this season by which each member has reached double-digit scoring figures than Maryland does (six instances). The group consists of Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice, Shelton Miguel, Julian Reese, and potential NBA lottery choose, Derik Queen. The group is averaging slightly below 70 factors per sport, probably the most within the nation. Queen leads the best way with 16.3 factors with Miguel rounding out the group together with his 12.0 factors per sport. The subsequent closest scorer off the bench is Tamara Gapare with 3.6 factors per contest.
A Maryland tourney run will nearly definitely be as a result of its beginning 5 proves to be too daunting for its opposition.
